


A Friend In Need

by Whatwefightfor



Series: We Must Be Brave [10]
Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Genre: Detective Noir, Gen, Paperwork, Someone finally decided to ask if Ace was Okay, The Hidden
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-18
Updated: 2020-01-18
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:07:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22300819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whatwefightfor/pseuds/Whatwefightfor
Summary: She read the report to the end, steepling her fingers in front of her face. This was pissing her off. Having just cleared the Young Wolf for the murder of Cayde-6, and even more recently tempered that Gambit habit of his, she thought she could finally stop worrying about the Traveler's Chosen, once and for all.
Series: We Must Be Brave [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1291235
Kudos: 10





	A Friend In Need

On a cold and gloomy winter's night in the Last City, the Warlock Aunor Mahal once again faced the most devastating foe of her Praxic career.

Paperwork.

It was much further into early morning than she knew was wise, and her eyes were beginning to complain. Words swam across the screen propped on her desk. Not only that, but this time of year even the Praxic Halls felt a chill. Her duster was draped over her shoulders like a blanket, its comfortable weight only adding to their tired droop.

Bahaghari, her Ghost, drifted near her temple and intoned calmly, for the third time that hour. "Maybe it's time to sleep."

Aunor swiped to another page and rubbed her eyelids. "I could go longer than this without sleep in the field."

"In the field, you'd be more alert,' Bahaghari said, rotating her petals slowly as she orbited her charge. "You need a break. You're not going to be effective much longer."

"Just a few more. This is important." Aunor flipped to another Hidden report. 

No real news in the system at large, disturbing occurrences on Luna and Cocytus station, and Hassan Shimizu was, as usual, raving so accurately it might as well be a leak. 

Things were quiet. Too quiet.

She sighed and tapped Fenchurch Everis's report, titled Possible Forgeries. _This better not be about counterfeit Silver._

Her eyes widened when she read _VIP #2014._

Someone had contacted the Young Wolf and his Ghost, assuming several _verifiably false_ identities to gain their trust - among them, that of Agent Eris Morn.

She read the report to the end, steepling her fingers in front of her face. This was pissing her off. Having just cleared the Young Wolf for the murder of Cayde-6, and even _more_ recently tempered that Gambit habit of his, she thought she could finally stop worrying about the Traveler's Chosen, once and for all. 

He'd been a good partner. Cooperative. Sympathetic. Almost a kindred spirit, despite his tendency to humor certain untrustworthy characters. Did some damn good casework, too. 

So why couldn't she get rid of him?

"What's the matter?" Bahaghari asked from her shoulder.

Aunor pinched the bridge of her nose. "Is it too much to ask that the one thing I don't have to worry about be the most powerful Guardian of all time?"

Bahaghari made a clicking noise much like a wince. "Well…"

"Never mind, Bighari."

Bahaghari's petals slid down her photoreceptor in a squint at the nickname. "You need a nap."

Paying her no heed, Aunor reread the end of the report.

_...Given the importance of #2014's contributions to our defense efforts as well as the recent downfall of the Awoken prince, this agent is deeply troubled by the idea that a malicious entity might seek to sway or confuse #2014 through the context of trusted allies. #2014's Ghost made brief mention of some kind of waking hallucination in one of its messages. Have we reached out to corroborate that report or provide additional counsel?_

_MESSAGE ENDS_

Timelogs confirmed that Truce, Chalco and Ikora had all read the report as well, but no one had helpfully chimed in on the last question.

_Provide additional counsel._

Aunor tapped her fingers on the surface of her desk. Her fingertips left little smoldering marks, the way they did when she was agitated and not caring to control her Light.

The Young Wolf had some weird friends. He and Drifter were on slightly damaged terms now, but he still participated in Gambit regularly. He also consorted with the likes of the Tangled Shore's Spider and Aunor's new least favorite VIP, Emperor Calus.

_Calus_ she was _particularly_ preoccupied with, owing to the fact that several Guardians had already flocked to the philandering monarch for loot and power, even dressing up like his old enforcers. This was, of course, _instead_ of doing anything productive or beneficial to humanity and the City.

Before she'd met the Young Wolf in earnest, she'd have lumped him in with that group. A Guardian motivated to do good, but by the desire for _more,_ not out of altruism.

Thankfully, he'd proven her wrong. Aunor firmly believed that he tolerated Calus's advances in order to both grow stronger and gather intel as a means of helping the Vanguard.

However, that didn't mean she liked the way Calus seemed to be grooming him. 

First Drifter, then Calus, and now this mysterious third party...and that was saying nothing about the Ahamkara, Riven, whose curse still gripped the Dreaming City.

Aunor sat back in her chair. "That settles it, then," she said. "I'm going back out in the field."

Bahaghari looked at her. "And the mission?"

"Someone new is trying to manipulate our hero," said Aunor. "I need to know who they are - and add their name to my shit list."


End file.
